We have embraced the lake in a whole new way! We've survived a week at Lake Powell in July! The temperatures were a record high and the lake was at a record low, but the beauty and magic of Lake Powell is indescribable. We stayed on the houseboat in the Marina because it was land-locked and I was surprised that it was actually very nice and in many ways less stressful. The air-conditioning wasn't working well up front, but the bedrooms stayed cool so we all slept like the dead.
Coop and Jes arrived Saturday night in Las Vegas. Emotions were high, but we sent Eliza, Sam and Max to pick them up. They came back full of Cane's fried chicken and RedBull soda laughing their heads off. We sent Eliza and Sam to get us snow cones and sat around the table and laughed. It was a happy beginning!
On Sunday Grandma and Grandpa Rippy came by to visit. We had breakfast then my lovely friend Allison came to take family pictures for us. It was really a miracle to have everyone together., especially Wilson. We all went to church (Max, Coop and Jes' gift to mom) and Jes and Eliza helped me in the nursery. After church we loaded the cars and were off to Powell. The next few days are a blur of sun, sand and surfing. We went up Navajo canyon and found a picnic beach, we swam in our favorite EBB bay and cliff jumped. Coop brought matching swimsuits for the boys and spoiled them by handing them his credit card at every opportunity. Jes spoiled Eliza at the gift shop with a Lake Powell tee shirt. and special girl attention.
Tony and I loved just having time to talk to Coop and Jes and get to know them as adults. It was fun to hear about Cooper's success at work, and Jes' graduate school dreams. Jes said she had not swam in open water since she was 12 and she conquered her anxiety in Powell and let it go. We loved sitting out on top watching the stars at night when in cooled a bit and had fun teaching Coop and Jes to play code names. The beautiful blue water certainly healed me and I couldn't be in it enough. Eliza left Tuesday night to return back to work and we said goodbye to Coop and Jes on Wednesday morning. It seemed like the perfect amount of time and we left wanting more, not less.
We had a day of recovery on Wedensday -mostly sleeping and swimming. Sam did not feel confident to try surfing or wakeboarding this trip. This means we have swung from the extreme parenting position of forcing our kids to do things in the water to totally abandoning any effort. To be fair, we did take Sam out to surf, just the 3 of us, but it ended poorly. It must be hard to be 14, the youngest, and not really sure where you fit in.
On Thursday we were surprised and happy to welcome Chelsea, Kate and her friend Parynn! The Lake is Kate's happiest place and it was a treat to have them with us. We took everyone up the canyon again. It was especially hot and choppy, but it's so quintessential for the Powell experience, Max also had his friends Jackson, Carson and Ethan come on Thursday afternoon and they were well behaved and fun to have. It was too hot to sleep up top, so they all slept in one bed head to foot. Aunt Chelsea taught all the kids to play SkipBo and Tony taught them to play Screwie Louis. It was fun to watch all the teenagers enjoying card games and not being on their phones! I think Max especially enjoyed having Aunt Chelsea there, as she is a trusted adult for him and Tony and I were hopefully able to shower Kate with love and approval.
Tony spent a lot of hours driving the boat and for the most part was patient and kind. It wasn't exactly a relaxing week, but we agree that helps us anticipate our trip in October with our friends even more. The saddest moment was when Tony dropped his phone in the lake-Sad because it was a brand new phone and because of the pictures we lost.
We are blessed. It was a gift that we had the resources to enjoy such a beautiful place and to be able to share it with others. It is a gift that Tony and I can work together without the tension we used to have. It is a gift to be able to heal the wounds that our family has had. All of these gifts are only possible because of the Savior who created this amazing world, blesses us with the connecting power of a priesthood sealing, and facilitates healing through his Atonement.
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